Beverage packaging configuration and dispenser

ABSTRACT

A product configuration is provided for the packaging of non-mixed beverages and dispensing configuration for mixing of a base beverage and mix beverage into a preferred single-serve mixed drink, contained in an insulated, light-shielded packaging. The product, called a “multi-beverage packaging configuration,” includes a plurality of single-serve base beverage containers, containing a first beverage which may be carbonated, with one or more multi-serve mix beverage containers, containing one or more types of beverage for separate consumption or mixing, and one or more corresponding volumetric dispensers. The volume of the mix beverage is proportionally divisible by the number of base beverages in the product configuration and by the volume of the volumetric dispenser. The ratio of mix beverage to base beverage in the mixed drink is dependent on the number of base beverages in the product configuration, and on the volume of the volumetric dispenser.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to storage and housing of differentbeverage containers in a single package, such as beer and spirits,wherein the different beverages are packaged separately, until such timeas they are consumed or mixed for consumption using the dispensingdevice that allows for the correct proportion of different beveragesinto a mixed beverage.

BACKGROUND

At the present time it is known to package and store beverages in cansand bottles as used in the invention herein. The field of relevant artincludes the packaging of alcoholic beverages, which may be carbonated.Also relevant to this invention is the packaging and storage of twodifferent beverages in a single container, or two different materialsthat out of necessity cannot be combined until dispensing.

Consumers of alcoholic beverages, both those interested in privateconsumption and those involved in festive occasions or partiesregardless of size, commonly purchase both beer and spirits separately,and then transport the beer and spirits separately to consume eitherseparately or mixed. This results in inconvenience, sometimes difficultytransporting both products at the same time, and often the wrong mixedratio upon dispensing.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a bundle configurationinvolving packaging and storage of different beverages in separatecontainers within the same package and the proper ratio dispensingthereof upon consumption or mixing. It allows the consumer to transportthe un-mixed beverages and then, using the dispensing apparatus includedwithin, obtain the correct ratio of the different beverages for mixingor individual parallel consumption. Furthermore, the configuration wascreated to comply with alcohol packaging laws.

SUMMARY

The disclosed invention of a plurality of different beverage units ormodules within the same bundle or package, but still in separateindividual beverage units. The configuration could be sold at retail inthe same manner as other containers of beer or spirits, and could bemarketed in close proximity thereto where permitted by law. Theconfiguration is designed to permit the convenience of carrying bothbeverages such as beer, and spirits, in a single package and obtainingthe desired mixed drink ratio. The configuration may be convenient formyriad occasions, including, but not limited to, individual consumption,festive occasions, small gatherings, and so on.

The invention complies with authorized standards of fill (alcoholpackaging standards), particularly those listed in 27 Code of FederalRegulations (CFR) §5.47a, which require that containers other than cansbe filled to 50 mL, 100 mL, 200 mL, 375 mL, 750 mL, 1 L, or 1.75 L, andrequire that canned beverages be filled to 50 mL, 100 mL, 200 mL, or 355mL (the latter being the standard size of a canned alcoholic beverage.Section 5.47a, subdivision a, provides as follows:

-   §5.47a Metric standards of fill (distilled spirits bottled after    Dec. 31, 1979).-   (a) Authorized standards of fill. The standards of fill for    distilled spirits are the following:    -   (1) For containers other than cans described in paragraph        (a)(2), of this section        -   1.75 liters        -   1.00 liter        -   750 milliliters        -   500 milliliters (Authorized for bottling until Jun. 30,            1989)        -   375 milliliters        -   200 milliliters        -   100 milliliters        -   50 milliliters    -   (2) For metal containers which have the general shape and design        of a can, which have a closure which is an integral part of the        container, and which cannot be readily reclosed after opening        -   355 milliliters        -   200 milliliters        -   100 milliliters        -   50 milliliters

Part of the utility of the invention comes in conforming to therequirement that one or more units of distilled spirits or liquor (thetwo terms will be used interchangeably herein), which may be of 200 mL,are included. In an embodiment, this constitutes five shots that can beconsumed separately, or can be equally distributed among the five beerunits included in a single package, using the dispensing deviceincluded. An aspect of this invention is that the dispensing device isdesigned to be of a size compatible with the mixing ratios of most mixeddrinks. A shot-sized dispensing device, specifically a shot glass having40 ml volume or marked to indicate 40 ml volume, is an example thereof.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is comprised of a lightshielded container (note that the term “container” as used herein refersto the package that houses the individual beverage units or modules.This is a different usage than in Sec. 5.47a, where “container” refersto the beverage modules) made of sturdy, rigid or semi-rigid material,including, but not limited to, cardboard, paperboard, reinforced cloth,plastic, carbon fiber, metal, or other packaging material; fiveindividual beverage units of canned beer or some similar beverage suchas a malt alcoholic beverage; and one individual beverage unit ofbottled liquor. The first function is to allow merchants to market andsell the beer and spirits as a joint package. The second function is toallow consumers to transport the beer and spirits as a single packagefor mixing in the proper ratio using the included dispensing device. Thethird function is to prevent light from denaturing the alcohol.

The container component of the bundle configuration is made of sturdymaterial that allows it to contain the individual beverages withouttearing or disintegrating. In one embodiment, it is a rectangular boxmade of cardboard similar in shape and size to a typical package of sixcanned beverages, except that it contains only five units of beer and abottle of spirits capped by a shot glass. The general concept of thiscontainer can be extended or reduced to fit beverages of other numbers,particularly but not exclusively including factors of six, such astwelve, eighteen, twenty-four, and thirty-two individual beverage units.This and alternate embodiments are described herein.

In another embodiment a beverage sub-container houses both the liquorand beer in separate compartments within a single sub-container in amanner similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,812, with theadded utility of the ability to pierce or open the interior wall of thesub-container, separating the beverages, and thereby mix the drinktherein. In this package configuration each beverage sub-container wouldinclude the appropriate ratio of the plurality of beverages to be mixedprior to consumption, without the need for the dispensing devicereferenced in the preferred embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of the package.This perspective view is in accordance with the present invention,illustrating the package when opened. This figure does not include theartwork on the box. In this case, the plurality of beverage units arefive cans of beer and a single bottle of the liquor.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the package of FIG. 1. Again, thisfigure does not include the artwork on the box.

FIG. 3 is a front side perspective view of the package shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a left side perspective view of the package shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of another embodiment where theplurality of beverage units are all glass bottles.

FIG. 6 is a front side perspective view of the package shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a left side perspective view of the package shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is an opened front elevation view illustrating a preferredembodiment of the arrangement of the individual beverage units withinthe package. In this case, the plurality of beverage units are ten cansof beer and a single bottle of the liquor.

FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of thepackage to contain 20 individual beverage units.

Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicatelike elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An exemplary preferred embodiment in accordance with the presentinvention is described below, and illustrated in FIGS. 1-4. In thisembodiment, the container 1 includes, 5 beverage modules 2 packaged inthis container are beer cans, and the sixth module 3 is liquor. Shotglass 4, which functions as the dispenser, is inverted over the liquormodule. Other types of dispensers than a shot glass may be used. In thisembodiment, the container is a rectangular box made of cardboard similarin shape and size to a typical package of six canned beverages, exceptthat it contains only five units of beer and a bottle of spirits cappedby a shot glass. The container may be composed of a rigid or semi-rigidmaterial of sufficient strength to support five individual beverageunits of canned beer or some similar beverage such as a malt alcoholicbeverage, and one individual beverage unit of bottled liquor. Thecontainer is preferably composed of a light-shielding material toprevent light from denaturing the alcohol. Exemplary materials for thecontainer include but are not limited to: cardboard, paperboard,reinforced cloth, plastic, carbon fiber, metal, or other packagingmaterial.

FIG. 1 illustrates a front elevation view of the exemplary preferredembodiment described above. The packaged is shown opened. The exteriorof the container may have artwork thereon, which is not shown.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 isa front side perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 isa left side perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

A second exemplary embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 5-7. Thisembodiment differs from the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4 in that theplurality of beverage units, including the beer and the liquor, are allglass bottles. FIG. 5 is a top perspective view, FIG. 6 is a front sideperspective view, and FIG. 7 is a left side perspective view of thissecond embodiment.

A third exemplary embodiment comprises a container holding a largernumber of beer beverage units than the five beer units of the first twoembodiments. FIG. 8 shows a front elevation view of an opened containerwith ten cans of beer and one liquor module in the center. FIG. 9 showsa top perspective view of a container with 20 cans of beer (2 a) and 2liquor modules (2 b). The liquor modules are configured to 1) conform tothe metric standards of fill, and 2) to contain sufficient liquor toaccompany or mix with the number of beer modules.

The multi-beverage packaging configuration disclosed herein providesconvenience in purchasing and transporting multiple types of beveragesincluding alcoholic beverages, for separate consumption or for mixing.

It is not expected that the invention be restricted to the exactembodiments disclosed herein. Modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the inventive concept. For example other packagingmaterials for the container than those listed can be used. The scope ofthe invention should be construed in view of the claims.

1. (canceled)
 2. (canceled)
 3. A product configuration comprising: apackage including: a plurality of filled base beverage containers, oneor more filled mix beverage containers, one or more volumetricdispensers, and a package configured to contain said plurality ofindividual beverage containers and one or more volumetric dispensers,said package configured to support the weight of the plurality ofindividual beverage containers and volumetric dispenser; wherein; thebase beverage containers have a combined volume equal to or greater thanthe one or more mix beverage containers; each mix beverage container hasat least one associated volumetric dispenser, the volume of which issized to enable the equal division of the contents of the associated mixbeverage container to completely and equally dispense the contents ofthe associated mix beverage container to all the individually sealedbase beverage containers within the package.
 4. The productconfiguration of claim 3, wherein said volumetric dispenser is designedto sit on the top of its associated mix beverage container and sized todispense a volume of mix beverage which is equally divisible by thenumber of base beverage containers and the whole volume of the mixbeverage container, and wherein the volumetric dispenser resembles ashot glass.
 5. (canceled)
 6. The product configuration of claim 3,wherein said base beverage containers contain beer, said mix beveragecontainer contains liquor, and all of which are sized to comply with themetric standards of fill as required by current law.
 7. The productconfiguration of claim 6, wherein said package is configured to fit aspecific multiple, M, of a group of N individual beverage containers,including N−1 beverage containers of a first beverage and 1 beveragecontainer of a second beverage.
 8. The product configuration of claim 7,wherein N equals
 6. 9. The product configuration of claim 8, whereinsaid specific multiple M of six individual beverage containers includessaid specific multiple M of five individual beverage units of beer, andsaid specific multiple M of one beverage unit of liquor.
 10. The bundleproduct configuration of claim 9, where said volumetric dispenser isconfigured to enable dispensing said liquor in the mix beveragecontainer into five substantially equal portions.
 11. The productconfiguration of claim 10, wherein said mix beverage container of liquorcontains 200 mL of liquor, and wherein said volumetric dispenser isspecially configured to dispense substantially 40 mL of liquor. 12.product configuration of claim 9, wherein M equals
 1. 13. The productconfiguration of claim 1, wherein said package is comprised of a lightshielded container made of sturdy, rigid or semi-rigid material.
 14. Theproduct configuration of claim 13, wherein said container is comprisedof a material from the group consisting of: cardboard, paperboard,reinforced cloth, plastic, carbon fiber, and metal.
 15. (canceled) 16.The product configuration of claim 4, wherein said volumetric dispenseris sized to dispense 20 mL of the mix beverage.
 17. The productconfiguration of claim 4, wherein said volumetric dispenser is sized todispense 40 mL of the mix beverage.
 18. The product configuration ofclaim 4, wherein said volumetric dispenser is sized to dispense 50 mL ofthe mix beverage.
 19. The product configuration of claim 11, whereinsaid volumetric dispenser is sized to dispense 100 mL of the mixbeverage.
 20. A product configuration configured to contain a pluralityof individual beverage containers; said package configured to supportthe weight of the plurality of individual beverage modules; and furtherconfigured to contain means for dispensing amounts of said differenttypes of beverages; wherein said means for dispensing amounts of saiddifferent types of beverages comprises a volumetric dispenser configuredto dispense user-determined numbers of units of said different types ofbeverages, and wherein said units are sized to enable convenientportioning of said different types of beverages to use the entirecontents of the bundle to complete the making of mixed beverages.